PRINCIPALS’ ADMINISTRATIVE STRATEGIES AND STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS IN KENYA CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN MERU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Performance in Mathematics in Meru County, Kenya from 2012 to 2016 has consistently been deteriorating. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of how the administrative strategies designed by the principals on students‟ Mathematics performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in Meru County. Objectives that directed the study were to examine the effects of various attributes on students‟ performance in the KCSE examination in Meru County. The objectives were to examine the effects of the Principal‟s invitation of Mathematics specialists, establish Principals‟ support to teachers through Mathematics seminars, and determine the effects of principals‟ organization of Mathematics contests and evaluate the effects of Principals‟ provision of materials for learning and teaching. This study used ex post fact research design because of the effects of independent variables on dependent variables. The research instrument was a Mathematics teachers‟ questionnaire and the Principal‟s interview guide. The target population was 299 principals and 836 Mathematics teachers in the County. This study used stratified random sampling with proportional allocation. The sample size was 30% of the total target population translating to 92 principals and 251 Mathematics teachers. Validity was insured by piloting the instrument. Reliability was insured by using the split-half technique. From the findings, the majority ofMathematics teachers and principals claimed that they invited Mathematics specialists and used team teaching and peer teaching specialists to their schools. However, most of the invitations were done only once a year. Chi-square results showed that the invitation of Mathematics specialists (p 0.021), team teaching (p 0.0065), peer teaching specialists (p 0.048), and others (p 0.034) all had a significant effect on how students performed. Findings further revealed that principals were not sponsoring Mathematics teachers to attend seminars with the majority having never attended Mathematics contests in the last two years. The principals cited a lack of resources and budgetary allocation to the low number of Mathematics teachers attending seminars. It was also revealed that most principals did not organize Mathematics contests, and the majority of schools never organized Mathematics contests. The ANOVA results showed a significant association between the mean performance in Mathematics and the number of Mathematics contests organized by the principals (p=0.000<0.05). In regards to teaching resources, the majority of schools had satisfactory Mathematics syllabus provision, adequate departmental teaching and revision materials, and adequate textbooks. However, marking and checking schemes of work were not satisfactory to the majority of the respondents. In regards to learning resources, the majority of respondents affirmed that teaching aids were satisfactorily provided, but schools were not financially stable, which was evidenced by the low organization of Mathematics contests externally as compared to high organizations internally. The study recommends that principals should invite more than one Mathematics specialist to their schools to ensure that Mathematics teachers and students are adequately exposed to different kinds of skills and strategies on Mathematics performance in the K.C.S.E examination. Principals should also increase the frequency of inviting the external support staff from annually to one or twice per term to ensure that the skills and strategies imparted are reinforced to become a routine practice for the mathematics teachers and the students. The findings of the study were expected to be useful to the Ministry of Education, teachers, and students as well as other stakeholders in the education sector. The researchers also concluded that attendance of seminars was minimal or non-existent in the majority of the schools, it was also concluded that schools in Meru County did not generally organize external Mathematics contests. The study also concluded that the provision of teaching and learning resources affected school performance in mathematics.